Emptying the notebook: Burres, Cain and what’s on tap

Slow morning at Scottsdale Stadium today because of team meetings, but the action should heat up later. Tim Lincecum will throw to a group of youngsters, including Andrew Susac. Brian Wilson is scheduled to throw a bullpen session; those are always watched around here just in case. Ryan Vogelsong should throw off flat ground. And later in the day, Heath Hembree will throw live BP to a group that includes Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt. Get out your Bart Scott voice for that one: CAN’T WAIT.

I was going through yesterday’s interviews and it struck me that Bruce Bochy has now twice mentioned Brian Burres as a guy who is throwing well. And he doesn’t often single guys out. In fact, Bochy makes a point of leaving individual names out of some discussions, saying he doesn’t want to miss anybody.
Burres made 13 starts for the Pirates in 2010 and has 106 career appearances. It’s not like he’s been all that successful – he has a 5.75 career ERA – but given the lack of pitching depth here and his experience, I’d think Burres might be working his way up the depth chart. Eric Surkamp is a clear No. 6 starter here, but after that it gets hazy.

And really, as I’ve mentioned before, that’s one of the stories of camp. By most accounts, the Giants top prospects are hitters and relievers: guys like Gary Brown, Hembree, Tommy Joseph and Joe Panik. Susac has impressed too; same with Hector Sanchez. Both are guys who play the same position as the Giants’ best position player (Posey).

You’d think a trade might be coming at some point…

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— Some of you have probably noticed just from being online, but there’s always a scramble to pull the phones out when something happens. Bochy has noticed, too.

“Cain got hit and I looked over here, and man, the Twitter was flying,” he said yesterday, mimicking our tweeting motions.

I’ll be tweeting out on the fields today: @AlexPavlovic

— Larry Baer spoke about Matt Cain’s contract situation the other day, but he was more eager to talk about Cain’s golf game. Baer said all the PGA professionals were looking at one player on the range at Pebble Beach. Baer was curious to see which golfer was the big hitter. Well, the pros were all watching Cain.

— Your daily Former Giant update: Juan Uribe has apparently slimmed down in an effort to become a contributor again. It’s worth reading just to read the first line of Dylan Hernandez’s story.

Given what happened last season with Posey, there will not be a trade of any of the catchers until the Giants determine either the successor to Posey (and then they move Posey to 2B probably) or that the catcher is not a keeper and another team wants him anyway.

jpipk

Giants have ONE major league quality catcher who is coming off a severe injury and who would be an average or slightly better than average player at another position. At some positions he would be less than average.
Posey is a very good, all star potential CATCHER in position smarts, defensive ability, arm strength and accuracy, AND hitting.
He would also be a better than average 3B, fielding and hitting.
He would be an average fielding 1B and below average as a hitter.
He would be adequate in LF but wouldn’t put up all star numbers hitting or fielding.
He is NOT a power hitter nor a top 10 BA hitter.
He’s a catcher. If he can’t play the position, he’s a good guy for the team but he’s NOT THE BEST POSITION PLAYER on the team anywhere else.
We love him but take him out from behind the plate, he isn’t Pablo. Not even close. He probably isn’t even Huff (2010 numbers).

JBGood

#8, and you know this how?

walt kovacs

think the giants will hold onto their catching depth for at least one year

they also have monell and murray, both who appear to be strong candidates as backups

E-B

hey Alex, thx for the many u/d’s today–you’re spoiling us!!
keep it comin!

——————————
re: catching depth.

hmmmm…I really hope we hang onto all our catchers for now. imho, can’t have enough of ‘em in any club. Remember what happened to the Buc-O’s last year? All 3 went down w/ injuries. Sheesh.

great pitcher + great catcher ~ 1 + 1 = 1000;
it’s a synergy that renders the combo far stronger than either alone.

@Clutch, i’m just a totally uneducated wild guess, but if a trade is imminent 3/4 through ST, i think it’ll be Manny; not any of our catchers, and certainly not Hector Sanchez, cuz Timmy raved about his ability to frame pitches.

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